Apple today released Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3, a significant update to its revolutionary professional video editing application, which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma-keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem. Available today as a free update from the Mac App Store, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of groundbreaking new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from your shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The powerful Angle Editor allows you to dive into your Multicam Clip to make precise adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets you play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them.

Final Cut Pro X builds upon its robust, one-step chroma key with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. You can tackle complex keying challenges right in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view your results instantly with realtime playback.

In the seven months since launch, the third party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded dramatically. XML-compatible software like DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management. The new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry’s largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.

Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows you to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third party PCIe cards.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 is available from the Mac App Store for US$299.99 to new users, or as a free update for existing Final Cut Pro X customers. A 30-day free trial of Final Cut Pro X is available at www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Pro X can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutpro.

Maybe Apple was just waiting for them to jump ship. Apple likely doesn’t want to be associated with crap like the Kardashians, Bad Girl Club, and the “Real” World. Once they said they were going Avid, Apple decided it was safe to release the update.

In some cases, absolutely yes. In other cases, perhaps not. In my case – yes. FCPX is no iMovie Pro – it is so much more than that. So many tasks are so much simpler, faster. Jump in, the water’s fine.

they still haven’t fixed the overwhelming file management problems. Until they do FCP X still isn’t ready for busy shops, bigger jobs or complex workflows. Broadcast monitoring is nice but we have to wait until its out of beta.

At least color grading and audio sweetening is available now via XML. it still needs a clip viewer. Until it has one it’s still a fail. A less major fail but still a fail. Maybe next version.

Nobody freaked and jumped ship prematurely. Apple promised 64 bit for ’08. They led pros to believe it was the same app suite during a preview for editors well before its release. Why invite only pros of a certain level and hide the fact that the app won’t handle their work if the app wasn’t meant for (us) in the first place?

I sure hope this includes stability and bug fixes… Like how 1 in 3 times when you grab the audio volume adjustment line on a clip, it actually grabs the clip. Or when you drag a few clips together, they can lose their relative positions and just go anywhere. Not to mention crashes and hangs. Anyone else experience this stuff?

Spent the morning with 10.0.3. Volume grab issues seems fixed, clip randomized issue fixed. Crashes much more frequently, but O was working fast and furious. An annoyong part: updating Events to 10.0.3 apparently requires reading every file in the event, so my Event containing 10 hours of footage is taking an excruciatingly long time.

According to Larry Jordan (the definitive blogger for all things FCPX),

“Today, Apple announced the latest update to Final Cut Pro X. Following its announcement last September that the next major version of the software would include support for multicam editing and broadcast monitoring, this update delivers on that promise.”

I don’t believe that many jumped, I think most of the negative responses here (and elsewhere) were haters and avid/adobe astroturfers (and pathetic fanboys).

The only casualties would be the people who were just entering the post/editing field who were convinced to buy either Avid or the Adobe CS suite.
To those unfortunate souls I say, yes, you were (intentionally) misled and you have mis-spent a fair chunk of chance. however you have a way out. Your best bet is NOT to suffer suffer on (because you made the wron decision) but rather to dump that overpriced 15 year old hunk of spagetti code for whatever you can (on craigslist, ebay or onto frenimy’s) and join the the revolution.
You don’t have to take my (or anyone else’s) word for it. Buy a copy (it’s only $299 that is what you will pay for AE plugins) or if you are really on a budget download the free trial and run a few of the tutorials. It IS what the next generation of editing software will be like (in like 5-10 years when they catch up)

… “the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem”, and you believed it? If it was “fast growing”, that would be because it (re)started from -0-!
Between those who jumped – some being larger accounts – and those who “declined to upgrade”, Apple failed to make a lot of sales to this market. With this new update, and the anticipated “Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta”, many of the delayed sales could be recouped. Don’t know about the production houses that have dumped their Macs for PCs and Avid, though. That could be a tougher sale. This year, at least.

Meh, most of the “large production houses” going avid (as least the couple stories (by avid’s marketing dept) I have read) are all grind houses (doing b grade reality TV and such) Those facilities may do well by Avid, as it excels a scooping shit from one container to another in the fastest and most predictable mannor.
I think Avid and Adobe will continue on where creativity is not considered a positive.

… most of what you said. Most of the stories were from Avid publicity. Many of the houses involved were “b-grade”.
But that isn’t what you were saying earlier.
I have worked with Avid. For the price, it’s a horrible deal. And the price is often the main consideration when two products are roughly identical. For a production house to pay more for Avid rather than buy FCPX you have to wonder just how consumer FCPX had gotten, not whether they are just interested in b-grade twaddle.
Apple takes some big chances when they “update” a powerful program with a much improved, but much less powerful, version. Like they did with iMovie, a while back.

I agree Apple takes chances, completely re-writing something like FCP from the ground up was a huge undertaking (resource wise) and fraught with risk. (avid and adobe have both said it would be almost impossible to re-write from the ground up) However they (Apple) did it and the result is stunning (I’ll bet adobe and Avid have large stripes in their knickers at this point, particularly given the price point Apple is setting.)

Apple has raised the bar (and lowered the monetary threshold) on what an editor can be and do and their customers are the beneficiaries. Adobe and Avid are now forced to undertake that sisyphean task, or be left in Apple’s wake.